The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time : Part Two
by Pen Wordsword
Summary: Link has departed from his home, charged by the late Great Deku Tree to seek out the Princess of Destiny. He finds her, and discovers that there is much more at stake than he previously believed. The world is in danger, and now Link with Navi beside him set out to obtain the other two spiritual stones, to retrieve the only thing that could stop the growing threat: The Master Sword.
1. Chapter 1

**Part Two: The Quest**

**Chapter One: Conflict of Interest**

"What took you so long?" Navi muttered as Link finally came out of the woods. He made no sign of hearing her; instead his full attention was fixed on the scene before him. For the first time in his life, for miles and miles, he was seeing open, empty space, with only a few, small trees dotting the landscape. His face broke into a wide, excited smile. This was the world he had dreamed of seeing. This was the world that stories were told of, myths and legends were held of, fables were written of. And now, he was the first Kokiri to be a part of it.

He laughed, running forward and leaving Navi trailing behind. He never thought it was so big! This was more than he had ever hoped it would be!

"Link! Link, quit playing around and focus on what we're supposed to be doing!"

He finally came to a stop, panting from the sudden exertion. He kneeled down, feeling the ground with is hands, the individual stalks of grass slipping through his fingers. It was dryer than the forest, but still fresh and alive. The sun was strong here, he realized then. It was hotter out in the open, wind or no.

He sighed, hearing Navi's wings flutter beside him and stop as she landed on his shoulder. She was right, of course, they were here because they were charged with a task, and they were to see that task through. Go to some castle and find some princess...

He looked up suddenly, squinting as he looked over the horizon. Where was there a castle? Where were there even people? He had no idea where he was, except alone with a fairy in the middle of a field. He had no way to pinpoint his location or direction. He knew nothing.

"Son of a Scrub, where by the spirits are we?" He asked aloud. Navi sighed.

"This is why I told you to stop. Lucky for you, I know where we are, and fortunately you were going the right way.

"So why'd you tell me to stop?"

"Because it's not a straight line, you numbskull!" she snapped, sighing in irritation. He shrugged, giving in.

"So, where to?"

"We won't be able to make it to Hyrule Castle Town before dark, and the gates close before then and don't open till morning. That is why we will be turning to the northeast, gradually turning to the east, to find an establishment in the middle of this Hyrule Field."

There was a pause of silence, then...

"So...I go left until I see a building?"

Navi sighed, and rolled her eyes. "Yes Link, we go left. And ahead of us somewhere a dirt path should appear. We can follow that left. Does that help?"

Link nodded, satisfied. "So can I run now?"

"No!"

~0~

The light was fading fast behind him as he drew closer to his destination. A very high, circular wall, made mostly of stone, topped with wooden spikes, sat right on top of a giant hill, in the middle of Hyrule field.

The size alone left him in awe. He couldn't even imagine the size of the house, with one of its stories peeking out over the top. It had to be huge. Navi had explained the place was actually a ranch that also doubled as an inn. She was forced to explain what an inn was too; the concept was brand new to him.

"So, wait, how do you know all this stuff?" Link asked, suddenly curious. "Have you left the forest before?"

"No, I read about it, and the Great Deku tree told us a lot of things too. Granted, that doesn't mean I know everything, there's a lot I don't know."

"Like what?"

"Like who owns this place, for instance. Or what it looks like. We're going to find out."

"Fair enough."

The sun was set by now, and lights could be seen from the top floor. Already he could feel the temperature dropping, and he gave a momentary shiver.

A shiver? Now he noticed something strange. He could feel his hairs on the back of his neck standing on end. He slowed his brisk pace to a stop, ignoring Navi's protests and questioning. He was too busy staring, watching for anything out of the ordinary.

"Navi, do you have the feeling you're being watched?"

"What? No, why?"

"Because I do. Something's not right." She fell silent too then, looking around. Something about how he said it made her sure something was off. How he could tell and her miss it was odd indeed; was his intuition higher than hers?

Link was first to recognize the danger. He leapt back from where he had been standing, drawing his sword and shield to the fore as the ground exploded, sending dirt flying in all directions. A second mound to his right suggested there was more than one enemy.

An inhuman squeal came from the ground, almost like laughter, before the creature revealed itself. It was the same size as he was, except for the fact that its head was half of its body, and its clawed hands were huge. What made it truly vile though, was that the creature, whatever it was, was dead. All it was was bone and sinew. And the smell made him want to gag and retch.

"Stalchildren, Link!"

"Good to know!" he called back, not really paying attention. The second one had revealed itself now, and another inhuman shriek came from its mouth. Both were turned on him, and the first one suddenly charged.

He was ready for it. The monster swung his huge, taloned hand, only to have it slam into his shield, He grunted with the effort, surprised how something made of only bone and tendons could be so strong. This was not natural. He should be afraid.

Should be. But strangely, he wasn't. There was fear, to be sure. But not the same kind of fear that made your heart pound and brought about the sense of self-preservation. It was more like… nervous fear? He was on edge, aware of the danger, but not fazed by it.

The monster swung again. This time, he ducked, raising his shield above him to make room for the wide arc he made with his sword. It connected with its sternum, slicing it clean in half. It screeched loudly, expressing its irritation. It never finished; Link jumped up, ramming his shield as hard as he could into its head. The result: the head went flying, while the rest of the body collapsed in a heap of bones.

His luck ran out there. A screech rang in his ears as the sensation of blinding, white-hot pain arched down his back. His vision flickered as he dropped to his knees, struggling to hold back the scream in his lungs. Now he was afraid. He could feel his pulse pounding in his ears. Somewhere he heard another voice scream. Navi?

With a growl and immense effort, He swung around, nearly crippling himself with the pain, slamming both sword and shield into the creature. It fell back and screeched as one of its hands was cut off, and Link once again was on his knees, panting from the effort. _At least now I'm facing it. How did I miss it before_? His vision flickered again. He knew he was close to passing out, but he willed himself to stay awake. To fall asleep here was to die. _It can't end like this, I made a promise! _

The monster glared at him with its nonexistent eyes. It was preparing for the final strike. Link raised his shield in front of him, ready for his last stand.

A whistling sound flew by him, and the monster suddenly shrieked as one of its shoulders collapsed, losing its whole other arm. Another whistle, and the head came flying off, and the body collapsed into dust.

He could hear someone shouting. The voice was deeper than any he had heard come from a person. His vision flickered again, and this time it wasn't coming back. The last thing he recognized was being grabbed before he fell.

~0~

He had no idea when he awoke, or how long he had been out. All he knew was that he awoke in a bed, his head and shoulders propped up by several pillows, and that he had an enormous headache and his back hurt. He could feel his torso and part of his shoulders were wrapped, and his tunic and cap were removed. He winced as he opened his eyes, the bright candlelight irritating them.

The room he was in was larger than any room he had been in. In fact, everything was oversized. The bed he was in, the dresser directly across from him, the low-lying set of drawers beside it...at least that was what he assumed it was supposed to be. It was easily more than half his height. A window closed and shuttered was beside the oversized bed, and beside that a strange oval object with a short neck, open at the top, hanging from the wall. It held a candle at its base, lit, which provided some of the light in the room.

Another odd feature that drew his attention, without moving is head that is, was a part of the ceiling that slanted away from him. Rather than wood, like the rest of it, it instead was fitted with glass. He could not imagine any other purpose for it other than to allow light in, so assumed that was what it was for. Beyond the glass was black, so he could only presume it was still night. The fact that the roof slanted in two different directions down the middle was a new concept as well. It provided a lot more room, but room that could not be used, really. It made no sense to him.

He winced, sucking in air, as he turned his head. His neck hurt bad, and it only made the headache pound harder against his skull. At least he was getting used to the gratuitous amounts of light. On each wall he could see now there was one of those strange candle holders, and each one was lit. There were two more windows like his on the opposite wall, both shut as well. Beside him a ways was a large wooden table and three chairs, all looking like tree stumps that were hollowed into seats. The table had a cloth covering it, white mostly with a reddish-pink trim. At the center of the table a small blue vase was present, with red flowers, though he did not know what kind. The wooden floor was also largely covered by a thick rug, tan with brown trim. On the far corner from him, below the glass ceiling, was a single wooden door. His second door he had ever seen in his life.

A familiar tinkling sound met his ears, and he smiled, if only a small forced one, as Navi came into view. He did not feel like smiling at all, really, the pain he was in was putting him in a foul mood. But he needed to at least reassure Navi he was at least somewhat okay. She returned the smile, but he could tell it as the same as his. Reassuring, but not much effort to hide her worry and concern.

"How do you feel?"

"Like I just got hit in the head with a Deku stick and my back was sliced open by a stalchild."

"How bad does it hurt?"

"On a scale of one to ten? Din's fiery butt.

She gave a curious cross between a frown and a smirk, one eye arched, and sighed. "It feels worse than it actually was, but it was still pretty bad."

"You don't say?" he muttered. She continued, ignoring him.

"The man who owns this ranch came out and took out the last one with a crossbow. He did the best he could to patch you up, him and his daughter."

"How long have I been out?"

"About two hours. They're pretty worried about you. The daughter seems especially so, for whatever reason." She shrugged, and landed cross-legged in front of him, resting on his chest. "They've been coming in to check up on you every ten or fifteen minutes. Kind of annoying, because the girl just stares at you then me, but nice to know they care all the same."

He shrugged, grimacing at the pain it caused him. The details didn't matter to him. He knew he was where he intended to be, but not in the way he at all expected. He frowned, silently cursing himself. How had he been so easily caught off guard? True, he was no swordsman; he had only picked up a sword yesterday. But he had been in enough fights, particularly with Mido, to learn to be aware of one's surroundings, what may be behind you where you can't see. His senses were honed from years of relying on them in the forest. And as soon as he stepped out of the forest, he makes the most amateur of mistakes. He left his back wide open, and he lost his focus.

How had he let it happen? That single thought dominated his thoughts in that room. What had caused him to slip? He thought back on the encounter. Two of those strange horrid creatures against him. The first few moments seemed as if he had the upper hand. He had disposed of the first creature quickly enough, but then...

He cursed himself again, realizing his error. From the very beginning he had erred. He attempted to take them on one at a time. And the beasts had expected him to. He had fallen right into their trap. When dealing with two, keep both in your sights. He had disregarded that rule.

The monsters appeared in his mind again, along with every feature that made it foreign and strange, the stuff of fears and nightmares. He saw himself pitted against the first one, boldly facing the assault, repelling it, and then launching himself at the beast with sudden ferocity. There was no hesitation, no pause, only action and reaction. He had _wanted_ it dead, and there was grim satisfaction in the killing. He had felt the same thing with the great beast inside the Great Deku Tree; Queen Gohma, Navi had called it when it was spoken of on their trek through the country. It had not been as strong, granted, but it was there nonetheless, lessened probably only because he had been charged with the slaying of the beast.

He felt a cold shudder settle over him. The thought of him enjoying the kill...it sickened him. He was raised as a Kokiri. He was raised under their law, and their traditions. One such mantra was that all life was sacred, for they all were created by the Gods. Take care of the earth and all life, and it will in turn care for you. Yet here he was, twice now having disregarded life, and had killed. His instinct had told him to kill. How had he so easily abandoned the teachings? He tossed them like blades of grass on the wind; without a thought, they were gone.

"Link?"

He opened his eyes, glancing down to where she sat.

"Are you sure you're ok?"

He paused a moment, then shrugged, ignoring the pain. "I don't know, Navi."

She stared at him a few moments more, then sighed. "You aren't going to tell me, are you?"

"…I'm afraid, I think."

"How so?"

"I…I'm afraid of killing."

There was silence then, his words hanging in the air. Navi stared at him, her face expressionless, while he returned his gaze to the ceiling. What was she supposed to say to him? What did she know about killing? She had never done it.

"I have not killed, Link, but I have seen death, like you have now. Some were natural, others were not. Some of those were justified, others were not. All were cruel in their own ways. Death is not to be taken lightly. It is good that you do not, but it will consume you if you do not learn to bear it."

"But you have not killed."

She shook her head. "I have not, nor do I wish to. But I have seen you kill. Cruel as it was, they were just. The Deku Tree gave you permission to hunt and kill the monster in him when he asked you to break the curse. He did not force you to, yet you did. Was it not by a sense of justice, or duty?"

"But today was diff-"

"It was no different. You were just in your actions because the monsters you faced were creatures who only wanted your death. It was kill or be killed. This is one of the laws of nature. Do you see yourself apart from it? Were you not born of the gods like all other creatures? You killed because you had to. The first act was duty to the spirit of the forest; the second was duty to yourself."

"But, the Kokiri..."

"Care for all creatures, for they were born of the gods? Link, not all creatures are good, and not all of those are meant to live. Care for the earth, and care for its inhabitants, even by ridding them of such creatures that threaten them. That is what you were doing. Did they forget to teach you that?

"If you cut the grass in your yard, are you not caring for it? You are not murdering the grass, you are tending to it, so that it may grow strong and fresh. You tend to it so that it does not hinder your way.

"If a Deku Scrub means you harm, do you not defend yourself, and possibly attack as well? Either one will escape and you both live, or you will be pitted until one no longer lives. This is the nature of things. Do not take it to heart so harshly."

He nodded in understanding. It made sense he supposed. He never thought of it that way, at least. But, there was still one thing that bothered him.

"When I was fighting the Stalchild, and somewhat the other monster...I felt...excitement. There was a thrill in the killing... That's why I'm afraid. I will kill if I must, but I don't want to be a killer."

"You're not a killer, Link."

He let her words hang. She said it with sincerity and assurance, and while he accepted them without complaint, he still had to wonder.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two: Lon Lon Ranch**

Muffled voices were heard from beyond the door, followed by the sound of footsteps drawing closer. Come to check on him again. This time though, they would find him awake.

The door opened, and a middle-aged man stepped in; the man he assumed his life was indebted to. And he was a curious looking man indeed. He was taller than he himself was, but not by much; short was a fitting description. Short, but not at all small. The most noticeable feature was perhaps his ginormous belly, which made up more than half of his body he suspected. It was perfectly round, which he had to try very hard not to smile or indeed, even laugh. Built upon that round bubble of a belly though were short, but stocky legs, and, more prominently, powerfully built arms.

He might have taken the man more seriously by these, but his face was just as peculiar as his rounded body. The man was balding considerably, yet he bore a fantastic pair of sideburns, blending perfectly into his exquisite mustache that lay under his large nose as round as his stomach; he possessed no beard, however. His blue eyes were nearly hidden by the large eyebrows he also sported, shaped at an angle where he always looked worried, yet his eyes were soft and kind. His pointed ears, rather than extending outward more, remained close to his head, extending back instead, the dark hair that was left on the sides of his head and back were pulled back into a short ponytail.

Add that to the clothes he wore - brown boots, blue overalls that were too short to cover all his legs (he wondered how they even supported the weight of the man's middle), and a tight red shirt - made him look quite strange indeed. Neither threatening, nor comical, just strange. If he had to make any judgments of the man, he would have to say he would fit in perfectly with a circus of some kind. He thought no ill of the man however, and he gave a weak smile toward him.

By comparison, the man's greeting was much more profound. Upon seeing the smile he gave a wide one of his own, marked by the mustache being pulled upwards, and with a swiftness that was unexpected came and pulled a stool from beside the bed up and he sat upon it. Even as he was walking his tenor voice carried across the room.

"Excellent, excellent, you are awake, much sooner than I expected. How are you? Well I hope? Are you hungry?"

"Uhh."

It was all Link could say, taken quite by surprise by the man's fast speech. He seemed to catch on immediately, and leaned back a little in his seat, smiling reassuringly.

"I'm sorry, did I startle you? I'm just a worried old man, don't mind me. I have my own daughter, see, and I'd hate to see anything happen to her or any other child. I must say though, you certainly got yourself in a squabble," He noted, speaking more slowly now. "I'd certainly like to hear your side of the story, but that can wait. How are you feeling?"

"Well, uh...It hurts to move too much, and my head hurts, but I think I'm fine."

"Good, good" the man nodded, satisfied. "I was afraid that...well, never mind that now. The pain is a good sign; it means your body's healing, eh? It'll pass in time as your body recovers more. But to heal properly you need food, and I can bet your hungry, or am I mistaken?"

"No, you're not," He answered. As if to confirm it his stomach chimed in with a loud growl of its own. The man laughed, a hearty booming sound, as he pushed himself up from his seat.

"Well then, you're in time for a late dinner! I'll have it up for you in a moment. Oh, and lest I forget," He added, turning from the door to face him again. "Th'name's Talon, and welcome to Lon Lon Ranch." He smiled one last time before exiting the room, closing the door gently behind him.

~0~

Somewhere beyond the confines of the house and his bed, a cucco crowed loudly. The sun was only beginning to rise above the horizon, the round shining sphere not even visible as its rays extended forth to announce its coming; the cucco was merely the trumpet call.

Link was awake already. He had had a quick meal for dinner, and then was left alone to rest. The pain from his wounds had diminished to a dull ache, unless strained, and his headache had departed. For all that though, he had slept only a little, unable to grasp the sleep he needed as it eluded him. The little sleep he did get was restless, and the same dream would prevail his mind: a great stone structure with towers set in a green field. The sun was high in the sky, always above the massive edifice of stone. But then the sun would grow dark and menacing, and the blue sky would grow black. The towers would crumble and the stone walls would chip away, leaving the fortress in shambles. The sun would only shine its grim red light upon the ruins. He would wake then, unable to grasp any answers.

Despite the lack of proper sleep, the morning found him rested. He sat up, careful not to strain himself, and looked around the room for any changes. He noted his clothes beside him on the stool, freshly laundered. He dressed himself quickly, and tested his strength then, carefully walking about the room. In doing so he found his other possessions at the foot of the bed. He took his slingshot and ammo, another pouch, empty, and gently placed around his neck the cord that was tied to the ocarina Saria had given him.

He paused, staring at the musical instrument in his hands. How long would it be before he returned? He wanted to believe all he had to do was give the stone to this princess he was supposed to meet, then return home, but somewhere in his mind he knew it would not be so.

Sighing, he tucked it under his tunic, and glanced around the room again. It was only now he noticed Navi had disappeared; she was nowhere in this room, at least. He smiled. Amid all the commotion, he failed to realize, as he suddenly had now, that he, Link, had a fairy of his own. Perhaps they had not met in the conventional way, but regardless the two were now joined, and he could officially be called a true Kokirian. The thought gave him confidence. He belonged.

Navi...How much did he know about her, really? The question came unbidden, but it was significant in its own right. Not much, admittedly. She tended to be more rational than he was. Certainly more knowledgeable. And she was stubborn and sometimes irritable. But what about the other things you learned about someone; their likes and dislikes, their habits? He knew virtually none of those. Did she know any of those things about him? If she did, she never revealed it.

He shrugged to himself, walking towards the door. Perhaps another time it would become part of discussion. Bracing himself for the questions and the unknown that he was sure to encounter, he opened the door - marveling at the unlocking device - and stepped beyond.

So much for the unknown, he thought to himself. He forgot to include the bizarre in that category. He stared in unexaggerated surprise at the awkward scene before him. Though perhaps not unexpected, recalling the owner's own peculiarity. He stood at the top of a set of stairs, going down to his right. The room he was in was huge; two stories, open, and about two or three times the size of the room he just came from. Several large beams supported the roof above and lined the walls. The smell of hay was laced with the air.

And then there were the cuccos. Lots and lots of cuccos.

Shaking his head in bewilderment, he travelled down the stairs and walked along the wall back where he had come, careful to avoid treading on the feathery occupants of the room. One door passed under the stairs to his left, leading elsewhere into the house. He paid no mind to it, instead went straight for the door in front of him, leading outside. It was the fresh air he wanted.

Sunshine rained down from above, the light temporarily blinding him even as his hand rose to shade them. There was hardly a cloud in the sky to dull the sun's power. Undaunted, he squinted as he observed his surroundings, waiting for his eyes to adjust to the light. He was on a pathway of sorts, the entrance to the ranch to his right, and to his left was a wide expanse of empty space. In front of him was a building much smaller than the one he had just come from; shorter, only one story, but just as wide.

And there was life. He could still hear the cuccos from behind him, and there were even more to his left at the end of the building roaming free. A low drawling voice of a cow could be heard from inside the building across from him, which led him to believe the building was some kind of pen. And in the field, farther out, he witnessed the majesty of Hyrule's finest horses as they roamed freely.

A smile brightened his face as he made his way towards them. Most all of them ignored him. Even so, he recognized that these were indeed fine horses. He walked up to the closest one, slowly, and placed his hand on its thigh, reaching up as high as he could go. He could feel the tough muscles underneath the soft hair and skin. The horse turned its head to see him, then went back to grazing the grass.

A new sound reached his pointed ears in the open, and they perked up in recognition. It was the sound of someone singing. And it was coming from somewhere in the smaller fenced area. Curious, he went to investigate. Reaching the large entrance, the gates wide open, he could see in the center a young girl and a foal, and she was singing to the young horse. He found both fascinating. As he walked close, he could clearly see this horse was better than all the rest, even as young as it was. The auburn red, and black tipped ears and snout, clashed well with its white mane and tail. The tail, in fact, was black and it faded to white. The same case appeared on its legs. The red coat turned black at the joints, before white hair grew out to cover most of its hooves. The dark gleaming eyes showed uncommon intelligence.

The young girl looked about as old as he was, and the first thing he noticed about her was her thick flaming red hair, which cascaded down her back like a fiery waterfall. She wore a plain tannish white dress, slightly dirtied with dust and dirt around her booted feet, with blue embroidery patterned around the sleeves, hem, and neck, where a yellow scarf was tied. Her eyes were closed as she sang to the horse, one hand wrapped under its neck, the other gently brushing her fingers through the mane.

He stood there for a moment, watching the pair, captured in the beauty of the scene. The song was a simple one, without even any words, simply sound, but he could feel the emotion in the music. There was love, and joy, and a profound sense of peace. He could feel the music flowing through him. It called for him to respond, beckoning him to join. He felt his hands grasp the ocarina tucked away in his tunic, and he drew it out.

He let the music take him, and he played. The notes came naturally to him, hardly giving any thought. Her voice and his ocarina blended perfectly.

It lasted only a few moments. She opened her blue-gray eyes the second he began to play, and almost faltered, surprised by his unexpected appearance. But she smiled then, and continued to sing a few notes more, before slowly fading out to hear his playing. He played for only a few seconds more, and then lowered the instrument from his lips, a smile of his own coming to his face.

"You're really good at playing that," she said briefly pointing to the ocarina still in his hands.

"Thanks, you're not too bad yourself. It's a nice song."

"Thanks, my mommy used to sing it all the time. I don't remember the words though, so I just sing the notes."

"I think the notes are enough."

She smiled even more, then cocked her head slightly as she looked at the rest of him.

"You're the fairy boy from yesterday." It wasn't a question as much as a statement of fact. "I'm surprised you're up already. That's good though."

"Fairy boy? I'm not a fairy, I'm a Kokirian. My name's link."

"What's a Kokirian? Is that...Oh! You're a forest boy!" she exclaimed, evidently very excited by this news. "I'm Malon, and this" -She gestured to the horse beside her- "is Epona. She's mine; I take care of her all by myself.

She snorted at the sound of her name, and trotted over to Link, sniffing his shirt, and lowering her head against him. Malon looked on with obvious glee.

"Looks like Epona is fond of you already, she's usually really shy. I bet it's because you played that ocarina."

"You think so?" he asked, patting the horse gently on her long snout.

"Uh huh, I know so." She looked at him then with a curious expression. "If you're a forest boy, don't you have a fairy? That's what was with you before, right? Where is it?"

He nodded, then shrugged. "I don't know; I haven't seen her since I woke up. Her name is Navi."

"That's a strange name, but pretty too." Link nodded, unsure of what else to say. Malon didn't seem to mind at all, instead switching to a new topic. "Have you already eaten breakfast yet? I was about to go in and get some for myself."

"No, I just got up a few minutes ago," He answered. She smiled, whispered something into Epona's ear, then grabbed his wrist, already walking back to the house.

"Well come on then, why are we still out here?" She laughed at his bewilderment, then let go of his wrist and skipped forward a few steps, backwards. "Afterwards, would you like to come with us to town? We have a few deliveries to make, is all."

"Town?" Link asked, confused. Malon looked at him similarly.

"You don't know what that is?" Link shook his head. She sighed, shaking her head, but smiled anyway. "You guys must not have those. They're like big villages, with lots and lots of shops and people and fun things to do. We only have one, and there's a castle there too, it's really really big."

"Oh! That's where I'm going!" Link exclaimed, smiling happily. Malon broke out in a wide grin, giggling at his sudden outburst.

"Then you'll come along?"

"Of course!"

"Great!" She exclaimed happily, and planted a kiss firmly on his cheek before darting through the door, calling after her dad. He stood there frozen, his eyes only following after her until she vanished. His hand rose up to where he had felt her touch, and He could feel his face growing warm. Had she really just….kissed him? Was that ok? He had only met her less than five minutes ago. And why was he so embarrassed? He had been kissed on the cheek before; Saria had done so a few times, purely in a friendly fashion. Yes, maybe that was it; she did it as a friendly gesture.

But why couldn't he shake the feeling that wasn't it?

~0~

So it was that Link found himself in the company of Malon in the back of a horse-drawn wagon, driven by her father, Talon, on its way to Hyrule Castle Town the hour before noon. Navi had finally returned just as they were about to leave. She was disapproving of him up and about already, but made no move to argue the case, evidently satisfied that he was recovering quickly. When inquired of her whereabouts, she answered that she had been meditating, and she had required being alone. She seemed slightly put off as she said this, Link noted, but he said nothing. Perhaps when they were alone, he would ask.

Malon had been thrilled when Navi had returned, and made a hasty introduction before bombarding her with questions. Link sat back, amusing as he watched the conversation. Before long though, the conversation turned back to him, with more questions. He answered all kinds of questions, from his favorite color and foods, to how he had lived, what the forest was like, and what had prompted him to leave the forest. The last one he kept short, omitting some parts from the telling as well. She needed not know about his Father's death or the curse he had been vanquished by.

Just as curious about her as she was with him, He too asked many questions. What her life was like on the ranch, her favorite things, her dreams and aspirations. And for the first time since leaving the forest, he felt a sense of contentment. He felt, for the first time in his life, at home.

Talon smiled as he watched the two of them - three of them - before turning back to the front. It had been a long time since he had seen her daughter laugh like that. Not since her mother had left. It had been so hard for her. When he had gotten her Epona to raise as her own: that was the first time he had seen her smile again. And now here she was laughing. Because of the green-clad boy. He would have to repay him, somehow.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three: What It Is Like To Live a Normal Life**

"I never thought this town would be so big!" Link stared around in circles, trying to take everything in. It was so huge! It was so much bigger than the little forest village he had only ever known, and so vastly different. Everything was made with timber and stone, even the ground. And the people! So many, many people! He felt so small, amongst them, they were so big. And there were so many kinds! Tall, short; fat, skinny; pale-skinned and dark-skinned; wealthy and needy – there was no end!

Malon giggled at his astonishment, finding it amusing. The first time she had come to this town she had done the same thing, but that was years ago, and she already knew all about buildings and people and whatnot. She could hardly imagine what it would be like for someone who knew none of those things. Navi too smiled at his actions. While she too was fascinated by it all, she at least knew such things existed.

"Malon, help me set up shop, please," Talon called, placing down one of the crates. They had parked their wagon in the corner of the square, towards the main gates, and they ingeniously used the back as part storage, part display as they would be selling their goods; meats, cuccos, and their prized Lon Lon milk. Malon had explained how she was old enough to manage the store well enough on her own, and her father, Talon, would make any deliveries that had been ordered. They were well-respected, and they made their profit well.

Of course, "profit" and "selling" were completely new terms as well.

"Link, may I have a word?" Talon asked as soon as Malon was out of earshot. Link nodded, curious.

"I'd like to thank you, Link, for doing what I could not do." He knelt down to look at him at eye level, beside the fountain in the center of the square.

"Sir?" he asked, puzzled.

"You've made my daughter laugh again. You may not have known, but before you came, it had been a long time since I had heard her laugh." He glanced over her way, and smiled as he watched her happily arrange the cucco crates and the meats beside one another. "I missed it. I just didn't know how much."

He turned back to link still smiling. "I'd like to give you this as a small token of my appreciation," he continued, extending his hand. In it was a simple leather pouch, complete with draw straps and a belt loop. Taking it in his own hand, he heard a tinkling sound. Curious, he opened the draw strings, and reached in.

"Rupees, Link; it's what we use to exchange for goods and services as opposed to bartering. It's much more convenient because the colors stand for a set amount," he explained, watching Link sift through the small gems in his hand. They were not large, only about as wide and tall as the middle digit of his finger, so it was easy to carry a large amount. He had predominately green and blue ones, but he also held a red one in his hand.

"What do the colors mean?"

"The green ones you see there are worth itself, a single rupee. The blue ones are worth five of those greens, meaning something worth five rupees can be exchanged for one blue rupee as opposed to five green ones, you see? That red one there is worth twenty green rupees, or four blue ones. There are other kinds, as well; purple rupees are hard to come across, and they're worth fifty green rupees, or ten blue rupees, and so on. Rumor has it there are bigger values, though I've never seen them. That pouch there has about sixty rupees; it'll last and do you well if you can manage it."

"I can't take this," Link said as he placed the rupees back in the bag and held it back. "You took care of me when I got hurt. I owe you." Talon shook his head, smiling.

"You owe me nothing, though you are kind for thinking so. Keep this gift, and think of it as a welcoming present from the rest of the world." He patted his shoulder and rose back to his full height. "You don't owe us any favors either. Go do as you'd like, we'll be here until the morning; the inn next door has reserved rooms for us, you're welcome to stay." With a wave and a smile, he turned and walked back to the stall.

"Those two aren't too bad, are they?" Navi asked, smiling as she watched him place the pouch on his belt. "That was very nice of him to do that for you."

"It was. I like them a lot." He smiled, turning around to look around him. There was so much to see and do, where would he even begin? He knew he had to find the castle and the princess, but…

"Navi…Which building is the castle?"

"I…I don't know." She sighed, looking around. "I've heard of castles, but I've never seen one to be able to compare."

"Oh…"

"I guess we just have to start searching."

"Fair enough."

"You're looking for the castle?"

Both Link and Navi turned to see who had spoken. A girl stood a few feet away, looking at him curiously with her blue eyes that were remarkably like his own, he found. She looked the same age as him as well, with blonde hair cut shoulder-length, with a braided design keeping most of it behind. She was dressed plainly, a simple dress with a puff-sleeved mini jacket to cover her shoulders, yet it complimented her well.

"Well yeah, I have to meet a princess there and give her something. Do you know where it is?

"Link," Navi whispered, "do you really think it prudent to be telling a complete stranger our purpose?"

"Why not? She could help us maybe, right?" He asked, looking at her from the corner of his eye as she perched on his shoulder. She sighed, letting it go. _He's too trusting_, she thought to herself._ At least she doesn't seem too bad._

The stranger took note of the fairy on his shoulder, and blinked in surprise. _A fairy?! Then…_

"You're from the forest, aren't you?" She asked, pointing at the fairy. "That's why she's following you right?"

"Well….yeah, you pretty much guessed it," He replied, glancing back at Navi. Was it that obvious he wasn't from around here?

She continued to gaze curiously at him, then broke into a wide smile, "Will you play with me today? If you do that I can take you to the castle. It's really well guarded, but I can get in really easy, I'm friends with the princess."

"You are?" He asked, looking again to Navi and smiling. Perhaps things would turn out to be pretty easy. Navi returned the smile, but then fluttered over to the girl, seemingly inspecting her.

"Are you? Do you have any proof?"

"Navi, what are you-?"

"I'm looking out for you. You might be trusting, maybe too much, but I still have doubt."

"But-"

"It's ok," The girl spoke up as she reached behind her and fumbled through a small pouch. "I can understand your friends concern. Here, as it happens I do have proof, see?" She smiled, finally coming back around to reveal…

"An ocarina?" Link reached up and pulled out his own, comparing the two. In terms of shape, they were exactly the same, but the one the girl had looked to be made of some other, smoother material, and it was painted blue. And it had a different design too; three golden triangles all connected at the corners to make one larger triangle.

"Yep, and I see you have one too." She smiled, putting it back. "We take turns keeping it, so…oh!" She ducked behind the fountain, Leaving Link and Navi thoroughly confused. He turned, hoping to see what had caused her sudden vanishing act. He found himself face to face with two Hylian Guards and an older woman with white hair and red eyes, and dawned in a strange armor-like garb; she had the chest plate, but that was the only piece of real armor she possessed. The rest of what she wore looked to be similar to leather, dyed various shades of blues, purples and blacks. At her waist behind her she had a short blade, almost like a knife, sheathed.

All in all, it was a very intimidating figure.

"You there, young boy. Have you seen a noble girl around here by any chance? She has blonde hair and blue eyes."

"Uhh…" He looked between her and the two guards and couldn't help but feel a little scared. The look on the woman's face softened.

"There's no need to be frightened, you're wouldn't be in any trouble. We're just looking for her so we can keep her safe. Have you seen her?"

_What should I do?_ If the woman just wanted to keep her safe, then it wouldn't hurt to give her away, would it? But, she had hidden at the first sight of this woman. So, she didn't want whatever this woman wanted.

_And she's my only change to getting to see the Princess._

"N-no, I haven't." He finally forced out, still a little afraid of this woman. She sighed, but nodded and smiled.

"Thank you, little one." With that, she continued on her search, the two guards in tow.

"Thanks."

"Don't mention it," He replied, turning back to see the girl's head peeping over the wall of the fountain. She smiled, coming out from hiding fully now.

"So, what do you want to do?"

"Me? I dunno', I guess whatever you want to do-" The words were barely out of his mouth she grabbed his wrist. _This is getting to be a little too common._

"Let's check this store out then!" She laughed.

~0~

"Wow, it's night-time already?" Link asked as he stepped outside from the shooting gallery. "That was quick, and here I thought we could try the bombchu bowling again."

"Seriously?! You almost got yourself blown up!" Navi huffed, shrugging her head in disbelief.

"It was an accident though, and the lady there said they're not too dangerous, right…uhh…"

He faltered, turning to look at the girl. That entire day had gone by and he still didn't know her name, but the look on her face stopped him from asking. She was looking up at the sky, her face brightened by the stars. She looked sad.

"The day is…over…Thank you for today, forest boy, I really enjoyed it." She walked over to the fountain in the now-deserted central square. "Just for today…I wanted to be able to play and do things on my own. I didn't want to deal with all the etiquette and formalities. I didn't want anyone fussing over me. I just wanted to be…me. I wanted to know what it was like to live a normal life, like all the other normal girls."

Link stared at her as she gazed into the still water, wondering what he should do. So that was why she was sad; she wasn't a normal girl, he had forgotten earlier. She was a noble; she probably never got to do things like this. She had been so happy before, with the bowling, the shooting, the masks, the different foods.

"Then…Let's do this again sometime, ok? And my name is Link," He said, smiling as he came up beside her. She stared at him with a look of shock; clearly she had not expected him to say this. "I had a lot of fun today too," he continued, "I never knew the world outside the forest was like this. I'm glad we could do this together."

Her smile returned then, and she nodded. "I'm glad too. Thank you again, really."

"You're welcome," He replied. "And thank you."

_Behind you_

The thought came unbidden.

_Danger_

Then he heard it: footsteps. And the grating sound of swords leaving scabbards. Whipping around, he drew his own sword and shield, placing himself in front of her. There were three of them, people. And they looked as foreign here as he did, if not more so. All three of them looked the same, from the odd pointy-tipped shoes and balloon pants, to the ridiculous gemstone head and hair pieces. And while their faces were covered by scarves, their eyes still shone, revealing a gratuitous amount of makeup. It looked almost comical…except that each woman, as he realized from their long hair and endowments, possessed two rather dangerous looking scimitars.

"Link," Navi whispered looking at each figure darkly. "I sense blood thirst from them. I think they're assassins; people trained to kill targets"

Link nodded, saying nothing. The three had stopped only yards away, staring first at him, then behind him. They were after her, he knew.

"Who are you?!" He demanded, bringing up his sword, not enough to challenge them, only threaten. They ignored him, saying nothing. The one in the middle stepped forward and pointed one of her swords towards the two of them.

"Girl, we know who you are. Hand over the Ocarina of Time, and we might spare your life."

He glanced back at the girl behind her. She looked frightened, but she had herself composed. She was thinking.

"Don't make this hard. Hand it over, child!"

She gave a hard look at the assassins, then looked at Link. She nodded her head slightly to the left. She was going to try to make a break for it. He nodded, shifting his stance as he looked back at the trio.

He heard her bolt, her feet pounding into the cobblestone. The three figures acted instantly, racing to catch up. Link himself sprinted, trying to keep himself between the two parties. One of the assassins threw on an extra burst of speed and leapt into the air, aiming straight for the girl.

"Oh no you don't!" Link yelled out, throwing himself between the two. The two blades slammed into each other, forcing a stalemate as the girl fell to the ground, having been forced out of the way by Link. The two broke off, each taking on their own defensive stance.

"Tch, and who the hell are you?" the woman scoffed, giving him a dirty look. Link remained silent, maintaining his pose. Navi floated by his side, watching the woman carefully for any subtle movements he might miss.

"Sabiroo, someone is coming," One of the other assassins said, her eyes fixed to an alley off to the side.

"Now?! Damn, this isn't over brat, you got that? Let's move, now!" She jumped away, and the other two followed after, taking off into an alley.

"Wait, get back here!" Link cried, following them into the alley.

~0~

"Wait, Link!" The girl called after him, but he had already vanished behind the corner. She stood up, dusting herself off and moving after him. Behind her the shadows in the alley stirred.

"Princess."

She froze, recognizing the voice. Her caretaker, her teacher, her protector and her friend. She turned around, her fright giving way to relief. She knew she was safe now, for sure.

"Impa."

The woman from the marketplace smiled, placing a gentle hand upon her shoulder. "Thank the Goddesses you are safe. Let us return to the castle, your highness."

The princess nodded. She had had enough for today. Particularly with these assassins, that had brought her happiness to an abrupt end.

Link: he had granted her wish and made her happy. She smiled inwardly. At least she had gotten her one wish. Nothing could veil that from her heart.

"Yes, let's" She finally said, and took Impa's hand, and faded into the night.

~0~

Link huffed, storming back into the square, Navi trailing behind. He had run into the alley hoping to catch up to the trio, but they had long disappeared before he could even make it halfway through. He had quickly given up, and turned back. Perhaps that was best, after all; that girl was still back there it seemed, as well.

Scanning the deserted square though, where the girl should have been though, there was no one.

"Huh? Where'd she go? You don't think she got caught, do you?" He asked nervously, looking around for any clues.

"I don't think so," Navi answered, watching him. "They wanted that ocarina she had, not her; they would've killed her for it if you hadn't jumped in, remember?"

"Mhmm," he nodded, flexing his sword hand. That blow he had parried had hit hard, even numbing his hand temporarily. Clearly they had not been holding back. "So, what happened then?"

"Beats me. Probably went home."

"Without a goodbye or anything huh?" He sighed, seating himself on the fountain wall. "And she had said she would help us see the princess."

"True. Nothing we can do about it now though. We'll just have to find her on our own. She said the castle was straight on from the entrance to this town, right?"

"Yeah, she did, didn't she?" he affirmed, jumping down from the wall. The entrance was to his left, which meant…

"We go right then." He started up the path, Navi coming up to land on his shoulder. He smiled as he walked on. He had gotten to know what it was like to live life as a Hylian.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four: Dreams and Legends**

Her blonde hair flew behind her as she rushed to catch up with her father, still several paces before her. Obviously flustered, it was clear he had no intentions of slowing or stopping for her. She huffed, picking up her pace as she spoke up again, pleading.

"Father!"

"Enough, my child! How many times must I say it?!" His voice was stern and hard, and echoed through the expansive hall.

"But Father, please! I'm begging you; _please_ don't meet with that man!"

"By the goddesses, child, have you no honor for your father?! I said enough, now cease!"

"I cannot! That man frightens me, father, and my dream-"

"Gah, this again?! Your dream means nothing! It is just that, a dream!"

"But father, it was not just a dream! It was so real!"

The tall man sighed, slowing his pace some at last. He reached up to move aside a stand of hair, greying from black, which had stranded itself under his brow. He spoke again, this time softening his tone. "Of course it was, my child. Dreams can be like that sometimes. But, no matter how real a dream may be, I am not going to rule my people over the imaginings and night-visions of a child. Please understand, it does not hold a place in politics, and the people nor would the council stand for it."

"…Father?"

He stopped, finally, and turned to face his daughter. He knelt down onto one knee as she came before him. "Yes child?" He asked, placing a hand on her shoulder. She hesitated, unsure if she wanted to know after all.

"Do you…do you believe me, father?"

She stared at the floor as her answer was silence. She felt his grip tighten ever slightly. She already knew the answer.

"Of course, my child. You have never lied to me yet, so I cannot believe you would start now."

He smiled, and kissed her forehead, and rose again to his full height. "I must do this whether you wish me to or not; I am sorry. Why don't you go play in the courtyard for a while, hmm?" He patted her head, and gave a small wave as he resumed his trek through the corridors to the assembly hall.

She stood there, rooted to the spot, well after his footsteps had ceased echoing. She knew what his answer was, and his words had rung hollow in her ears. She sighed sadly, turning 'round to wander the halls.

He didn't believe her after all.

~0~

"Son of a scrub, Why are there so many guards?!" Link softly whined, leaning up against a stone wall amidst the castle courtyards. Navi had hid herself underneath his hat, so as not to draw any unwanted attention.

The two had made it to the castle relatively easily, under the cover of night. A water drain from the side of the castle, which filled up the moat, served well as an access point to the inside. He had found himself in one of the many courtyards, where now he was doing his best not to be caught by the guards that roamed them.

Risking a peak, he found no guard present in his sights, and so he bolted across, praying to the goddesses he would not be caught. Making it to the end, he dove and took residence under one of the carefully pruned bushes. No alarms were sounded, no raised voices were heard. He breathed a sigh of relief, relaxing a little.

"Hey, Navi? What do you think the princess will be like?" He asked, as he made an effort to crawl through.

"I don't know, mannerly? Why, what do you think?"

"I dunno' either. I guess I hope she isn't bossy or mean. Like how Mido was." He pushed himself up from the ground and brushed himself off, before scooting across another courtyard.

"I would hope so as well. So you hope she's nice?"

"Well yeah, but I don't want her to be too nice; that'd be kinda' weird."

"Uh huh."

He peaked around the corner, and nodded in satisfaction; no guards were around here yet. "I guess we'll find out soon enough," he said, and took off again. "Almost there…"

~0~

She continued to stare through the window that looked from the courtyard into the assembly hall, watching each processional of the races pledging fealty and respects to her father. She was waiting for one in particular; the Gerudo tribe and their leader.

She sighed in exasperation. Why wouldn't her father believe her! She _knew _that man was evil, she could practically see it oozing from him, could feel it gushing from him, could even smell the fetid stench of it! She found him repulsive more than the castle sewers. How could no one else realize?

_Except for Impa. _

She had believed her. There had been no questions asked, instead she had listened, and when she had finished her tale, Impa had nodded and said she would do what she could to try to stop it as well. She had been so happy, she had almost cried. She smiled at the memory. She always had Impa. She was always there for her and was closer to her heart than even her father.

The Gorons were parading down the hall now. They were a very proud mountain race. And funny-looking too, or at least they were to her. She liked how they would roll around to move quickly. They were the greatest allies they Hylians had, as their leader and her father were sworn brothers. Whatever that meant, she didn't know, but all the adults made it sound very important.

Growing tired of standing, she moved over to the steps descending to the grassy plot surrounded by clear water. Her thoughts returned to her dream. And to yesterday's excursion. That boy's name was Link, wasn't it? And his fairy, Navi. Yes, he fit into her dream perfectly. Thinking back, he had also carried with him the aura of a certain strength that she could feel. Not like that horrid Gerudo man. His power had carried the weight of warmth and security, and of confidence and resolve. She had felt safe with him, even when those Gerudo thieves had attacked them. It saddened her to think she would probably never see him again. And she had never even told him who she was.

"Ehh?!"

Startled, she flinched and felt her heart jump as she turned to see who it was. That voice though, she knew who it belonged to; she had only heard it yesterday. But, was it really him? How?

"Link?!"

"You're…the princess?!" He replied, amazed, moving into the courtyard. Navi trailed behind, also showing signs of being pleasantly surprised.

"Link…but…you…how did you get past the guards?!" She asked, mind reeling as she stood up and rushed to him.

"Very carefully, I'm good at hiding. But, uhh, if you're the princess, then…" He cocked his head slightly in though, before suddenly dropping in a bow. "Your highness."

She stared at him, eyes wide. Shaking her head, she took a breath to compose herself. "Link, stand up, you don't need to do that for me, you're my friend. And don't call me that; call me Zelda."

"Zelda huh? So that's your name?" he asked, returning to full height. He smiled. "I like it." She smiled, nodding her head.

"Link," Navi prodded.

"Oh, right," Link said, digging into his pouch. Curious, Zelda leaned over to look. She gasped when she saw what he drew forth.

"The Spiritual Stone of the Forest, Link, how did you get this?!"

"Oh, this? The Great Deku Tree entrusted this to me…as his last act." He muttered, also pulling out the blue instrument. "This is yours, you dropped it yesterday." He handed the ocarina to her, and she took it and put it away.

"The Great Deku Tree, you mean the Keeper of the Forest?"

"Not anymore. He…he's…"

"He was cursed." Navi said then. "The curse brought about his end."

"Oh…I see…Link, sit with me; I want to tell you some things, some of which I think he wanted you to know."

She took him by the wrist and directed him over to the steps once again, and the two sat down.

"This news only strengthens my belief that there is evil at work. I've been having this dream for quite some time now, and it was this that first troubled me."

"You've been having dreams too?" Link asked. She nodded.

"Just the one though. You've had some yourself?"

"A few. They started, well, months ago, actually. The first one was before I met with the Great Deku Tree. After that, the past few nights have been another one."

The princess nodded. "Then you and I are the same."

"Both of you are gifted with heightened awareness to changes in the balance, much like we fairies," Navi spoke up, floating to rest against the stone between the two. Zelda nodded again. Link looked confused.

"Heightened awareness to change? Like a sixth sense or something?"

"More or less, yes," Navi answered. "That's why you two are having dreams; they are your responses to the change. Everyone reacts differently, and other than faerie creatures, those sensitive are few and far between. Both of you in this case are having dreams. Fairies tend to be affected physically; grow sick, attitude changes, and such."

"Have you been affected?" Link asked, a little worried. Navi shook her head.

"Not that I am aware of, no. Sometimes it takes time, especially with fairies that are more resilient. I guess this means I am one of those."

Link nodded, more at ease now with her answer. Zelda shifted so she could face the two more directly. "Link, Navi, let me tell you my dream. I think you will see why it is important, as it involves you."

"It does?" Link asked, surprised. She nodded.

"The dream is always the same. Dark storm clouds from the west enshroud the skies of Hyrule. There is no light, and all green life is fading, and the birds and beasts are no longer seen nor heard. All the while I feel a deep sense of dread and fear." She shivered, recalling the feeling unbidden. "Like a disease, it plagues my very heart and mind."

Link watched her carefully, observing her, recognizing what he himself had once held. It had been the same with the dream with the Great Deku Tree. The Forest Spirit had been grey and cold, leaves were falling, brown and half-eaten away by death. The sky was cold and grey, and at its great wide base was a shadow, unnaturally large and dark. From that shadow came the same fear and dread. There was evil in that shadow. That shadow that suddenly sprouted a singular unblinking eye, staring at him, burning into him…

He had had that dream for weeks, even months, before finally seeing the thing that eye had belonged to: Gohma, the cursed parasite. He placed his hand gently on her shoulder, seeking to be some source of comfort to her.

She felt his hand touch her. It was warm, and she realized that the dreading feeling made her cold. Suddenly the warmth of his hand rushed forth and engulfed her, and for only a moment, she felt as if the warm sun was upon her. The cold was gone, stricken from her body, purged from her thoughts. But as quickly as it had come, it had gone. She opened her eyes, and looked at him. What had he just done? He gave no indication of knowing he had done anything. Then she saw it. For only a moment, she saw a green aura surrounding him, flowing through him. She understood then. For only a moment, somehow, the aura about him had connected with hers, through his touch.

_The Goddesses are surely at work here_, she thought to herself. She took a breath, relieved from the dark thoughts from before. She would not let it happen again.

"But when all seemed lost, a beam of light shoots out from the heavens, Piercing through the clouds and shedding its radiance upon the earth. The light descends upon the forest, and from it emerges a figure holding the stone you now carry, followed by a fairy. I now know for sure that this dream points to you, Link, and you too Navi."

"Well…wow," Link said, looking down at the stone in his hand. Did the Great Deku Tree know about this? Had he seen the same thing, to have given the stone to him?

"Link, Navi, I believe that this vision shows us you are a light for this world. How, I do not know, but I know the dark clouds in my dream signify another man."

"Who?"

"His name is Ganondorf. He is of the Gerudo tribe to the west, in the desert country. He is the leader of their tribe, their King. He has come here to swear allegiance to my father, but I do not believe he means it. I only glimpsed him once before, and that was all I needed to know he is evil. You met three Gerudo yesterday; those assassins that attacked us were of their tribe."

"Those were Gerudo?" thinking back, he brought up their image in his mind. "They look strange."

"They are a strange people," Zelda replied, nodded in agreement. "Little is known about them; they are very secretive. But I think it is clear that Ganondorf is an evil man, and he is after this ocarina. Otherwise, his assassins wouldn't have asked for it."

"Why does he want that?" Link asked. "I don't think he sounds much like a musical enthusiast."

"No, he isn't," the princess chuckled before garnering a more serious look. "This ocarina is a treasure of the royal family Link. It has been passed down for many generations. It also has a name. It is called the Ocarina of Time. Many legends encircle this instrument. The chief one is that this instrument is a key into the Sacred Realm.

"The Sacred Realm…where the Triforce is?"

"In the land of the goddesses, yes." You know of the Triforce?" Link nodded.

"Only that it was made when they left Hyrule."

"Nothing else? She asked. He thought for a moment, recalling the Great Deku Tree's words.

"He said something about it being the basis of this world's providence." Navi nodded her head, confirming his words.

"He was right in saying so," the princess noted, leaning back a little. "Let me tell you a legend of the Triforce that ties to those words. It is a legend that the royal family holds closely. Tell no one of this, ok?"

"Alright," he nodded, turning to Navi, who also agreed. "So, what is this legend?"

"The legend is this: that the Triforce holds the power to grant the wish of the holder, whatever it may be. A person with a righteous and good heart will not only have their wish granted, but will also give the land of Hyrule prosperity and peace. Conversely, if a man with a malicious and wicked heart has their desire granted, they will bring Hyrule to its knees and shroud it in darkness. That is why it is the basis of Hyrule's providence. Because of its immense power, the ancient individuals known as the sages built the Temple of Time, to keep out those who were evil."

"So wait," Link blurted, realizing something. "That temple back in town, in that town square… that's holding the Triforce?"

She shook her head. "Close, but not quite. The temple serves as a door into the Sacred Realm, and also a barrier. There is a door that is sealed within by powerful magic, coined the Door of Time. The only way to open it," She continued, pointing at the emerald still in his hand, "is to collect the three Spiritual Stones, and lay them before the altar, and to play the song passed down by the royal family, with this, the Ocarina of Time," She finished, holding it momentarily before him. Putting it away, she spoke again.

"I believe that Ganondorf is after the Triforce, which is why he tried to take the ocarina from me. Seeing as the Great Deku Tree was cursed, and passed the stone to you, I cannot but help think that he was responsible for that as well. He must know the legend somehow. He may even know where the other stones are."

Link looked down and gazed upon the stone in his hand, one of three, he now knew. The Great Deku Tree…had he died protecting this stone, preventing it from landing in evil hands? And then he had given it to him. What did that mean? Was he meant to gather the stones to him? The Gerudo man, Ganondorf, was trying to enter the Sacred Realm. Would he allow it?

"Then…then we just have to beat him to it." Link said, standing up. Zelda looked up at him, surprised.

"What?"

"Princess, you hold on to that ocarina. I'll go and find the other two stones. If he's after the Triforce, we won't let him have it!"

"You…you would do that?" she said, standing up with him.

"Of course. How could I not?" he asked, and smiled. She smiled back, happy; he believed her too. She was not so alone as she thought.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five: The Quest for the Stones**

"Princess Zelda, I…ah hah."

Link jumped at the sound, while Zelda seemed surprised, but not unfazed. Rather, she even smiled. Turning, he saw the same woman from yesterday in the courtyard.

"Link," Zelda started, "I'd like you to meet Impa, my friend and caretaker. Impa, this is Link, he's my new friend, and-"

"The boy from your dream, perhaps?" Impa finished, smiling. Zelda nodded. The woman looked again upon the boy she had seen yesterday. He looked quite nervous; then again, she tended to have that effect on those who did not know her. Even so, there was a fire in his eyes. He had spirit, and it was far from weak. Even grown seasoned soldiers she had met would not hold up. Yes, he could very well be the one, she thought.

"Link, was it? A pleasure to meet you; a friend of the princess is a friend of mine. Especially since you fared so well against those Gerudo thieves last night. I thank you for that bit of bravery."

Link smiled a little from the compliment. Perhaps the woman wasn't as scary as he felt she was. "It wasn't much, really," He shrugged, bowing his head slightly. Zelda giggled at his embarrassment. Impa smiled. Strong in spirit and humble in his deeds: a noble child indeed.

"Princess, if I may, the other part of your dream…?"

Curious, Link glanced over to the princess, who nodded in understanding. "There was one other part of the dream I neglected to tell you Link," she explained.

"The princess heard a particular melody playing as you were introduced. This song is not unfamiliar to those of royal bloodline," Impa explained further. "She believes, as do I, that it is my duty to teach you this melody."

"What purpose does it have?" Navi suddenly spoke up, drawing all eyes to her. Again it was Impa who answered.

"This song is only known to those who are of the royal bloodline and those closely associated with them. Knowing this melody ensures your status as a friend who can be trusted. You would have access to individuals and places where commoners and even some nobles would be denied. Essentially, you are like royalty, or an extension of that."

"Is it ok to be teaching me that then?" Link asked, concerned. "I'm not any kind of royalty, wouldn't some people see it as disrespectful or…or…"

"Like some kind of sick joke?" Navi finished. Link nodded, agreeing with that wording. Impa nodded.

"It is possible, but it is a risk to take. If they do see it as that, they would need very good reason to think such. The song carries not just status, but something more. It is said that this melody has taken on properties of magic even. What these magical properties are, I do not know. I assume on your quest you may discover these, if you are willing."

"Magical songs, huh?" Navi mused aloud. "There is similar magic in the forest, which we fairies use from time to time. I never thought it could be applied to the other races."

"Really?" Link asked, gazing up at her as she hovered above him. She nodded.

"Similar, yes, but not the same. How this magic imbued such melodies is unknown, save by the goddesses. But the fact remains there is magic at work."

"Will you do it, Link?" Zelda asked him. "I think you'll like it; I do," she smiled. Impa nodded, smiling as well.

"I have played this melody to her ever since she was but a babe. It had no name, originally, or if it did, it was lost to the ages."

"So I gave it one," the princess finished, smiling proudly at her accomplishment. "Since it was my lullaby, why not call it that?"

"Zelda's Lullaby," Navi stated, pausing over her words. After a moment, she smiled. "It has a nice ring to it, don't you think, Link?"

Yeah, it's catchy," he replied, echoing her compliment. Zelda smiled all the more, happy her name had received positive reviews.

"Then it is decided; shall I teach you the melody?" Impa asked, smiling. Link nodded, pulling out his own ocarina and bringing it close to his lips.

"Then, this is how it goes." Bringing her hand to her lips, she began to whistle…

~0~

The final note died away to a whisper, the last remnants of the magic that could be felt vanished as the note ended, and Link brought the Ocarina down. After what must have been several attempts, He had finally gotten it right. And it did not go unnoticed. As he had played, all three of them could feel the very air stir, as if excited by the sound, and a profound sense of peace settled over the area. It only lasted for a few moments, but it was enough to prove there was indeed magic in those few notes.

"Remember it well, Link," Impa prompted, smiling. He nodded, tucking away the small instrument.

"I will."

"Good, because I'd be sad if you ended up forgetting it, and you won't learn it again," the princess sternly warned, before breaking into a smile herself. "I hope it helps you find those stones."

"So do I. I just need to find out where the other two are."

"That, I may assist you with," Impa interjected, stepping forward. "But I must unfortunately ask you to follow me; if the guards catch you, you would be in a world of trouble. I will guide you out personally, and set you on your way. Is there anything left you must speak of, princess?"

"Must he leave now?" She asked, her face downcast. Impa nodded.

"You know as well as I the rules. You have been rather lucky to have had so much time alone, and I would not be so quick to test the fates much more."

She sighed, knowing her mentor was right. Knowing her father, he would not be so kind to pardon even a child for stealing into the castle so far, and affiliating with royalty as an equal was, from a sociopolitical aspect, even more disgraceful.

"I understand. In that case…" She turned to Link, taking a moment to observe him once again. He stared at her, curious. "Good luck, Link. Remember, you promised we would do this together. And be safe, ok?" She stepped forward and embraced him, still not wanting him to leave, but knowing he had to. After a moment of hesitation, he returned the hug, for only a brief moment longer before the two parted.

"And Navi, you take care too, and make sure he stays safe." Zelda added, smiling up at her as she perched atop his cap. The fairy smiled, shrugging it off.

"That's a full-time job you're asking me to do, but I'm sure I can handle it no problem."

"And that's supposed to mean…?" Link queried, frowning as the two of them giggled. Impa smiled as she placed a hand on Links shoulder.

"Let's go, shall we?"

Link nodded, waving goodbye as he walked away from where the princess stood. "I'll be back in no time, you'll see. Take care!" Then he disappeared around the corner with her caretaker Impa. She smiled, turning back to the steps. She would be more than happy to wait for his return.

~0~

"There: that's where you are headed."

The two were standing outside of Hyrule's Castle Town, off the path so as not to interfere with travelers. The two were receiving many strange glances and wide-eyed stares, but neither seemed to notice. The couple instead was facing towards the east, where one could perceive a very large, solitary mountain, whose peak was flat and bore a ring of smoke surrounding it.

"That, Link, is Death Mountain. A rather dreary name, but nevertheless that is its name. You may have seen it while traveling here." Link nodded, remembering seeing it while sight-seeing the countryside. Even from when he had left the forest, it was relatively easy to spot. He could only imagine just how large it actually was.

"A Tribe and race of people known as Gorons live on that mountain. Their leader and sworn brother to the king of Hyrule, Darunia, has one of the stones you seek out; the Spiritual Stone of Fire. It won't be easy, but you must reach their home and speak to Darunia. I cannot tell you what may happen then.

"At the foot of the mountain you will find Kakariko Village. I suggest you rest there before continuing."

"Definitely. I won't be travelling at night again anytime soon," Link grimly replied, remembering what happened last time. Impa nodded.

"A wise decision. These nights of late hold many dangers. Now then, you know what has to be done?"

"Get to Kakariko, find the Gorons, talk to their leader, and get the second stone," Link recited out loud. "What about after that?" Impa shook her head.

"That I do not know. But I'm sure you can find that out. Remember Link, we are counting on you to help protect Hyrule."

"I know," Link replied, stepping forward. "I won't let you down, I promise!" he called back, waving as he took off at a steady jog, Navi trailing behind. Impa watched him for a few minutes more, then, apparently satisfied, turned back to the castle. She had her own duty, after all; to protect the princess was becoming more of a priority than ever before. Something big was happening; she could feel it in all her senses honed by long years of Shiekah training. And if she had a part to play in it, she would be ready for it.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter Six: The Pursuit of Happiness**

"What do you mean I can't go through here?!" Link asked the guard, half shouting in frustration. The guard was just as annoyed with him, he could tell, and while he did not shout in return, he did give him an attitude. Hence, part of his frustration.

It had only taken about an hour to reach Kakariko Village, but the sun was particularly strong, and there had been little shade to hide from its reach, which left his exposed skin to begin turning red, and his mood fouled.

The village brightened his mood somewhat. True to Impa's words, the village was set at the base of Death Mountain, and looked more to be set in a small valley. The most prominent building, and by far the tallest, was a structure with four spinning arms attached to the front of it at the far end of the village. He had no idea what it was, but it was magnificent nevertheless. The rest of the village, as far as he could tell, was composed of houses. In front of the large building was a well. He wasn't sure why, but just looking at it made him shiver ever so slightly. Ignoring it, he continued to examine the rest of the village as he walked into it.

He had veered to the north, pursuing his venture to reach the mountain. After ascending three flights of stairs, he had encountered the gate now barring his way, and the lone guard that annoyed him to no end.

"I mean, kid, that you, can't, go, past, here. Or did you not read the sign over there? Oh wait, a kid your age…can you even read?"

"Yes, I can," He forced out through his teeth.

"Then I thought it was obvious, no one goes up here. No one includes you."

"But I need to get past here! I need to see the Gorons!"

"The Gorons?" The guard replied, more than a little surprised. "What would a kid like you have business with them for?"

"That…that's a secret," He answered, not wanting to tell him. Who would believe that Hyrule was in danger and he was going to save it?

The guard recovered quickly, snorting at the reply. "A secret, huh? More like a lie, I'll wager. Scram home kid, I don't want to have to get you in trouble."

Link swore under his breath. He heard Navi under his hat whisper, telling him to calm down. He took a breath to steady himself; she was right, after all, anger would get him nowhere.

"Look, is there anything I can do at all? Anything? I really need to see the Gorons," he finished, letting a pleading note enter his voice. The guard's face softened a little, staring at him more carefully than before.

"You know… it may sound strange, but you really do remind me of my boy back home. About your age, and just as stubborn too." He looked at him a moment longer, than sighed. "Ok, I'll let you pass, but before I do that," he added quickly, stopping Link from speaking," I have a favor to ask. You know the new shop that opened up in Castle Town? Happy Mask Shoppe or some silly such. I have no care for it, but ever since it opened my son has been pestering me for a popular mask. Some kee….uhh, kee…something. Some character that's popular among the kids, I guess." He shrugged. "I would get it myself, but I'm stuck as a guard here. If you could get that mask for me, I'll let you pass. Deal?"

"Back in Castle Town?" He asked, more to himself than the guard. He felt his spirits drop. He had the time, that was true, but he was not looking forward to walking with the sun again. Twice.

But he needed to get past this gate, and this was the only way up the mountain. If the guard held true to his word, a mask for passage up the mountain was a bargain indeed.

Unbidden, his thoughts suddenly turned to the guard and his son. He wanted to make his son happy, and there was a mask that could do it, if only he had the time to get it. But he didn't, not with his job. So, here he was, asking himself, a child by standards, to get this mask. Was the man so desperate to make his son happy, to exchange passage for a child's mask?

The thought touched him. Sure, he would gain passage, but that wasn't what would be important. He would be making people happy. Releasing a smile, he nodded to the lone soldier.

"Alright, I'll do it, for you and your son."

The man smiled back, a genuine, happy smile, unlike the sarcastic ones from before. "Thank you, kid. It would mean a lot to me. I would return the favor if I could, but-"

"You don't have to do anything, sir, as long as I can see the Gorons, that's enough for me."

"The Gorons, huh…Ah, I know! A favor in return: while you're in Castle Town, go to the Bazaar, and tell the shop manager that I recommended you to them and you want the Hylian shield. They'll give you a discount on it. I tell you this because Death Mountain has been active lately, and last I checked wood burns easily," he added, pointing out the Deku Shield he bore. "I don't need a kid like you on my conscience."

"He has a point," Navi whispered, and he nodded, already seeing the validity of his words.

"True enough, Thank you again sir, I'll be back with that mask in no time!" Without waiting for a reply, he turned about and retraced his steps at a brisk jog, leaving the guard behind smiling, his day brightened.

~0~

At the far end of the square from the entrance to Hyrule Castle Town, to the right of the path leading to the castle, stood the new famed shop, the sign alone drawing the crowd's curious stares. The building itself was not unusual; it was made the same way all the others were. Atop it, though, perched the odd pale roof ornament, which one could make out a peculiar abstract representation of a face.

Link stood outside the shop, craning his neck to see the strange sight. Weird as it was, he had to admit it worked in a roundabout fashion. If attention is what the owner wanted, attention he was getting. Sighing, he lowered his head to face the more normal-looking door, and reached up to open it.

A small chime bell rang as he opened the door and stepped inside. The inside was just as strange, the far end of it anyway. The walls were draped by red, almost pink, curtains, providing some more warmth to the atmosphere as opposed to the cold stone floor and grayed wooden ceilings and wall beams; the walls themselves were a neutral off-white. To the left at the end a large sign board stood, too far away to read from where he stood. Beside it, centered between the walls, was another face, its high up-slanted eyes, nostril slits and even whiskers visibly painted on. The mouth was the most prominent feature, however; the mouth lay gaping wide, its red outline emboldening the counter, shelves, and masks displayed within.

At the sound of the chime, a head popped up from under the counter, revealing just as strange of a man. Somehow, Link found his face similar to the two strange faces he had seen already. Particularly, the slanted eyes and thin nose. His hair was an orangish hue, plastered to his head and parted neatly on the side. The man rose higher and smiled, revealing his teeth to be immaculate. As if to compliment his facial features, the man had taken liberty with decorating himself in purple garb, the sleeves a lighter shade than the torso, with a pronounced gold neck collar. A white stripe ran down the middle of the shirt, as well as adorning the wrists.

"Hiiyeee!" the man exclaimed, his voice, sounding too much like a youth's, dripping with such enthusiasm he could easily believe it to be fake. "Welcome! Welcome to my Happy Mask Shoppe! We deal in masks that bring happiness to everyone!"

"Uhh….Hi," Link replied, shuffling forward reluctantly. "I want to buy a mask."

"Buy?" the man asked, his smile faltering for a moment.

"Uh, yeah, didn't you just say you deal in masks?"

"Oh well yes, yes of course!" He replied, regaining his bravado. "But I think you misunderstand, my young friend. I can only assume this is natural; after all, my shop has only been open since yesterday! Word has yet gone out of _how_ we deal in our masks." The man smiled and nodded, apparently satisfied with his answer.

"I see…so, how does it work then?"

"Ah, curious? Well then, might I have the pleasure in asking if you would like to be a Happiness Salesman?"

"What?"

"A Happiness Salesman! I only_ lend_ you the mask. It is up to _you_ to sell the mask, and then bring the money here! Fascinating isn't it?! I am the first entrepreneur to endeavor to create such a business! Instead of the consumer going to the product, the product will go to the consumer! It is truly a marvel!" The man extended his hands out as if to emphasize the gravity of his exploits.

Unfortunately it was all lost to Link, who truly did not care. All he wanted was the mask. "That's, uhh, great. Really great. So, I have to just get someone else to buy a mask and give you the money?"

"Exactly, you're a bright young lad! And by selling the masks you may become happy yourself! All you need is a little faith. So, how about it?"

Link shrugged. "Sure, why not? I need the mask for someone else anyway."

"Excellent!" The man exclaimed, almost squealing in his excitement. "Was there a mask in question to be had by this individual?"

"Well, he didn't know it precisely actually. Began with a "kee" sound?"

"Ah! The Keaton mask, yes! Yes, Keaton is a very popular character that has sprung up within the travelling troubadours and troupes! An excellent choice, yes, and it just so happens I have one in stock!" The man practically leaped over to the shelf to Link's left and reached up to grab the mask.

The mask was painted yellow, with long pointed ears and a rather mousey nose. The eyes were mere slits, slanted heavily upward, yet did not give the appearance of aggression. On the contrary, the appearance was more playful, and closely resembled that of a fox.

"A mere ten rupees this is, quite a bargain, actually! So, you sell the mask and return the payment to me! And of course, any extra profit is rightfully yours. Will that be all, my friend?"

"Yes, thank you," Link answered, taking the mask in his hands, admiring the quality. It was surprisingly smooth and paint had somehow attained a glossy sheen.

"Oh no no, thank _you_! You and I, we can make history here! Go forth and bring happiness to the people of Hyrule! Just have faith in yourself!" The man bowed respectfully, and waved as Link finally departed the shop, squinting as he eyes were made to adjust to the light outside.

"Well, that sounded strange," Navi whispered to Link.

"That was more than strange, that was downright creepy," he muttered. He heard Navi suppress a giggle.

"All the same, we got what we needed. Are you going to take the guard's offer on the shield?"

"I might was well, since we're here. Who knows, I might actually need it."

The Bazaar was easily noted by the sign, complete with who he assumed was the owner's likeness, and the steady stream of people who came and went that the other shops lacked. Stepping through the door, excusing himself as a man walked out, he took a moment to observe his surroundings. A small diverse crowd shuffled about the small building, even smaller due to the equally diverse amount of equipment, tools, toys, boxes, and various other paraphernalia lining the walls and shelves. The room was well-lit by two lamps, shining their light across the poster-plastered walls and the sign above the front counter, listing off various in-demand items' prices, or surplus items on sale.

Stepping through the crowd as carefully as he could, he managed to shuffle to the front, where he finally bore witness to a giant of a man. He stood head-and-shoulders above even the tallest of the customers in the room, and his girth was even larger than the farmer Talon's. He wore a simple vest, which, while it fit around his broad shoulders and rather furry arms well, was impossible to reach his middle, so that his great muscular(and equally furry) chest was exposed to the elements. The man was bald on the top, but sported a grand beard, complete with mustache and sideburns. His bushy eyebrows did nothing to hide the man's eyes, which possessed a fanatical look.

_How did he get so big! _He stepped up to the counter, more than a little nervous.

"Excuse me, sir?"

The large man turned his way. "Hmm? Somthin' you be needin' lad?" His voice was deep and strong, but was not unkind at all like would have imagined. A little more confident, he continued.

"Yes sir. I was told I could get a shield here."

"'Course you can, but, uhh, I don' reckon it'd fit you well, kid. Unless you be buyin' for another?"

"No sir, I was told I should have it by the guard in Kakariko, by the gate-"

"Oh, were ya' now?" He cut in, pleasantly surprised. "He recommended ya'? Well then, no need to be explainin' yerself, wait here a moment, lad." He smiled as he turned around and opened up a crate.

"These be Hylian shields, lad; very strong n' durable, these. Getting' to be quite popular too. Normally I charge a price o' eighty rupees for these works, but since you be here on the guard's word, I'll be givin' you a discount. I'll knock off thirty rupees for ya', deal?" He asked as he turned back around, placing the shield on the counter for him to see.

The shield was quite unlike anything he had seen as yet in Hyrule. Easily two-thirds his size, the polished shield was of a diamond shape. The border was reinforced with a second layer of steel, with various sections protruding into the blue field. Centered on the field was the design of a bird with its wings outstretched, painted red. Above it, three golden triangles were embossed, all meeting at the points to create a larger triangle. Link could only assume this was the fabled Triforce. The design made it appear that the bird was reaching up toward it. On either side of the triangles were further embossed embellishments, unpainted so that they were the same look as the rim. Below the bird was a fourth triangle, with the point facing down towards the shields' bottom point.

Fifty rupees for a masterly crafted shield sounded reasonable enough, considering full price was thirty more rupees. He agreed, pulling out his pouch and counting out the price. The large man assisted him; it was painfully obvious he was still unfamiliar with handling the currency. He frowned a little, seeing how little was left of what Talon had given him.

_ "That pouch there has about sixty rupees; it'll last and do you well if you can manage it."_

_ Looks like I'll need to find more," _He thought to himself, closing the drawstrings and securing it to his belt.

"Alrighty then, here you go lad, and take care o' yerself," the man added, smiling as he watched Link cleverly attach the shield to his back. "Though seein' you do that, I think you'll be doin' jus' fine."

"Thank you sir," link waved as he made his way back to the door, meandering through the unrelenting crowd. Excusing himself as another customer came in to replace him, he stepped out into the afternoon light.

"Right, time to head back to Kakariko."

"Remember Link, we have to get there before dark if you don't want to face another Stalchild," Navi said, peeking out from beneath his cap to look up, as did Link. The sky was already showing signs of the oncoming sunset, with the east sky darkening and the west streaked with pinks and light purple hues. Link nodded. He didn't have much time; he wasn't even sure if he could make it before the night came. But, he couldn't stay in Castle Town either, not with the little money he had left.

"We'll need to find somewhere for the night, but not here." Link replied as he headed for the drawbridge.

"Where then?" Navi asked. Their answer came unexpectedly.

"Link! Over here!"

"Malon?" He recognized the voice right away. And he found her too, to his right crossing the bridge, Her father Talon awkwardly turned to see behind him as he sat at the front of the cart, reins in hand; Malon sat in the back of the cart, now largely empty, waving at him with a huge smile on her face.

"I think we found our answer," Link answered Navi, a smile of his own decorating his face as he waved back, and quickly made straight for them. Malon jumped down from the cart and rushed over to him, where he found himself caught in a tight embrace. For some reason, again, he could feel the blood rushing to his face. Navi caught sight of it this time, and she suppressed a giggle.

"I was wondering if I would get to see you again before we left. Are you leaving too? Did you like it here?"

"Y-yeah" he managed to answer, regaining some composure. "I found what I was looking for, and more."

"You're shield changed?" She asked, looking over his shoulder with curiosity. Talon craned his neck to see as well, and nodded when he saw it, apparently satisfied somehow.

"Yeah, I kinda' need it where I'm going next, since it'll be dangerous."

"Dangerous?" She eyed him skeptically. "Dangerous how?"

"Well…I don't really know. It just will be," he shrugged. "I'll be fine though, promise." He smiled reassuringly.

"Well…if you say so," Malon conceded, returning the smile.

"Will you be needing lodgings again, Link? You're more than welcome to our ranch, naturally," Talon spoke up, and smiled when Malon's face suddenly lit up brighter.

"Yeah, you should stay with us again! I can show you around the ranch more and show you what we do and stuff!"

"I was actually going to ask that, if it's not a bother-"

"Of course it's not!" Malon interrupted, grabbing his wrist.

_And here we go again, _Link mused, unable to suppress a grin as he quickened his pace to avoid being dragged.

~0~

Night began to settle across Hyrule when the wagon pulled into Lon Lon Ranch. Malon and Link jumped out and scurried over to the gate to close it for the night, While Talon drove the wagon around the corner before slowing to a stop. As the two made it back, one of the large stable doors laboriously slid open, the light from inside pouring out onto the open field, casting long shadows of the three of them, the horses and the wagon. Another shadow came from the doorway, which belonged to the silhouette of a mall tall and scraggly.

"About time you got here! Took your time, did you, hmm?! If it wasn't for your daughter I'd be waiting a fortnight!"

"Now now, let's not get worked up over this," Talon said, raising his hands defensively. "We had to stay a little longer than usual; the markets were full and we made a good profit."

"I was able to run the store all by myself with no help this time!" Malon chimed in, grinning happily.

"Hmph, well that's all well and good, at least. Alright, let's get this done with so we can have something to eat." The man turned and disappeared back into the building. Link turned to Malon, nodding to the door.

"Who was that?"

"Oh, that's the farm hand Mr. Ingo, he works here," she answered, releasing the horses from the cart.

"Is he always like that?" Navi asked, popping out. Malon smiled at her appearance, and nodded.

"Yeah, I think he gets that way because he does a lot of work and daddy doesn't do much," she explained, guiding one horse into the stall. Link followed her example, taking the other horse and going in.

The single room was well-lit by several lanterns placed throughout the stable. The room was shaped as an L; the longer stretched holding the stables for the horses and cows. A door to the right from where he stood he determined was the same door on the right upon entering the ranch. Various tools, buckets and crates lined the walls. From the stalls to the two large doors leading out into the field was earth, while to the right, where the other door and most of the items were, a floor had been placed down. And the entire place smelt of an odd mixture of hay, feed, earth and dung. It wasn't pleasant, he decided, but nor was it unbearable.

"Doesn't do much? He hardly does anything at all! Lazy, that's what he is. Can hardly stand seeing him when I work so hard to keep this ranch alive!" The man protested, shaking a fist to the air while he opened a stall for Malon's horse to enter. Now that he was in the light of the stables, Link could see Mr. Ingo more clearly. He was only a little taller than Talon, and by far thinner, though he sported a large belly contained by white heavily stained overalls. He wore a pair of work boots equally as stained if not more, and a green shirt underneath the overalls served to cover his shoulders from the sun. His face was contorted into a perfect example of someone immensely irritated, and his incredibly busy eyebrows and large handlebar mustache did nothing to lessen to lessen the effect.

"And who're you? Haven't seen you before," The man said, looking at him as he locked the gate and proceeded to the next empty one.

"I'm Link sir, I'm ju-"

"Sir? You hear that Malon? Called me a sir, he did. I like that; it shows that I have respect." He nodded, an odd smile coming to his face, as if it was difficult for him to do so. Malon giggled as she took the horse from link.

"Of course you do Mr. Ingo; you do so much for us. Link, wanna' help me make dinner?" She asked, skipping up to him. He smiled back.

"Sure, why not?"

~0~

"That was really good Link, I didn't know you could cook," Malon complimented, jumping up to sit upon the fence.

"Neither did I," Navi added, "Nothing I have seen from this child made me think he could." The two giggled when he responded with a huff, leaping onto the fence as well.

"I learned only a little bit. I had to for when I didn't eat with…with the others." Navi looked at him, watching his face lose some of its energy. Malon looked on curiously as well.

"You mean when they didn't want you to eat with them," Navi said. "Or at least Mido didn't." Link nodded.

"Who's Mido?" Malon asked, looking to either of them for an answer. It was Navi who responded first.

"Another Kokirian who was a bully. He was mean to Link because he didn't have me. Not until a few days ago, anyway. All Kokirians have a fairy partner, but Link didn't have one, so he was picked on."

"That's awful! He sounds like a real jerk," she added, glaring towards the direction of the forest. "Was everyone like that?"

"No," Link answered quickly, startling both. "Saria was my best friend. She was always looking out for me and was always there. And the Great Deku Tree always listened to me and talked to me. Both of them always made me happy and made me feel like everything was ok."

"That's like me and Epona. I love telling her everything and being with her. She makes me happy." She smiled at him. "You do too, 'cause we're friends, right?"

He looked at her, staring at her as she smiled back. He had barely given it any thought. They had only met twice, the first time being just the day before! But in that time they had already begun to understand each other. He hardly knew a thing about her, but he was ok with that. He smiled.

"Yeah, right."

She smiled again, before looking away, watching the moon finally beginning to rise over the horizon. The moon was full, providing its rich cool light to the night sky and all of Hyrule, casting black shadows where it could not reach.

"I've always dreamed…a prince or a knight would come for me, past the moon," Malon said softly, breaking the silence. She chuckled. "It's a silly dream, I know. For a farm girl like me though, I think it's ok to dream, even if it's nonsense."

"I don't think it's silly," Link smiling as he continued to watch the moon. "It's a nice dream: wanting someone to want you. Everyone wishes for that at some point."

"Mm, I guess so. I never thought of it that way…Do you have a dream, forest boy?" She asked, him, giggling at the end. He offered his own quiet laugh before pondering the question.

"My dream? …I dunno'."

Lowering his gaze, he looked out to the forest. He knew that the forest was big; he had grown up living his entire life there. From here, looking down on it from miles away, he could truly understand its size. It stretched out into the distant night, fading to black and then fading away entirely. And maybe, just maybe, he swore he could see the top of a tree, whose leaves were shed before the proper season.

That massive forest was his home. That magical forest that served as a ward against dangers of distant lands. And now here he was, gazing down on it from afar, in a new world that he had seen only a small part of. He smiled, remembering the first time he had seen it days ago. He had been so amazed, thrilled, that there was a world beyond the forest. A world filled with new and strange wonders, a land filled with incredible people, like Malon, Talon, the princess, Impa. And there was more to see. He smiled.

"My dream," he said, staring back at the moon, "Is to see the world. All of it." He looked at Malon, and smiled. "I've only seen a little of it, and I want to see more. Everything so far has been beyond anything I imagined. From the first time I saw a door to meeting you and your dad."

She smiled back at him, beginning to blush.

"What?" he asked, curious. She shrugged, looking away.

"It's nothing. See the world huh? That's a good dream too." She chuckled. "Maybe you've seen your fill you can come back from beyond the moon and help me realize me dream, forest boy." She laughed, jumped down from the fence, and started skipping away. "It's getting late; you can stay in the same bed as last time, ok? See you tomorrow!"

"Wait, huh?" He jumped down, staring after her. It was already too late; he watched the light of the door open and fade away as it closed again. "I'm confused."

"I think," Navi said, appearing in front of him, "she just flirted with you." She giggled, flying towards the house.

"Wait…huh?!" She laughed then, unable to contain it.

"You're as dumb as a rock sometimes, you know that? She _likes_ you, Link, and I think you like her too! "She flew over to Link and perched on his shoulder, still giggling. "Now let's go back inside, we have a busy day tomorrow."

"Uh, well, ok, sure, yeah," he mumbled, blushing a little. She giggled again when she saw it, but he paid no mind to it. Was that why he felt so strange around her sometimes? He smiled. It was a good kind of strange. It made him happy.

_Maybe, when this is all over… Maybe I'll take her up on that offer._

He closed the door behind him, leaving the night to itself.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter Seven: King of Thieves**

It had been only a short time since Link had departed from the castle. The princess happily sighed, a small smile still adorning her face. She was back in the courtyard again, having left only to secure a book for her reading, but it lay open in her hands on her lap, hardly being read.

She was still reveling in the joy of being believed, and now something was being done! Her own father didn't believe her, and while she did in part understand his reasons, it was still a blow to her. As happy as she was to have it, Impa's support was only natural. She had never questioned or doubted the princess' dreams ever. But now she had a friend, a true friend, who she had only met yesterday, who believed her. And now he was gone from the castle, off on his self-imposed quest to find and hold the remaining two spiritual stones. All for her, to try to stop the man she knew would bring destruction to Hyrule: Ganondorf.

She frowned at the memory of him. She had only met him at a passing glance once before, a year ago for a meeting concerning trade negotiations. It had been a big deal; the Gerudo had not sent any kind of representative or ambassador since the Hylian civil war more than a decade ago. Not a peep from them, and out of the blue their king arrived, with words of peace, an alliance, and friendship. Everyone had been skeptical at first, but they had welcomed it.

She had met him then, he and the other members on the way to the first session, she on her way to the library with Impa. Upon seeing him she had flinched, and had grabbed the fabric of Impa's shirt sleeve, frightened. He had noticed, and took interest, engaging in polite small talk. She was able to chalk it up to having never seen a Gerudo in the flesh before – perfectly true and understandable, particularly with her age – but had afterwards confided to Impa the truth.

The man had frightened her; able to sense his dark heart from the very first moment she had clapped eyes on him.

She shook her head, abandoning the memories. It was a good day, today, and she didn't want it to be sullied by dark hearts and unpleasant memories. Smiling again, she picked up her book and tried to concentrate on it.

~0~

The lone Gerudo male stared down into the courtyard from one of the castle quarters' windows, scowling. She was so close to him, it would be painfully easy to take the object he desired from her: the legendary key to the Door of Time, the Ocarina of Time.

He turned away, staring aimlessly about his darkened room. So close, but impossible in current standards. No doubt she was well protected. He had read the stories of the fabled Sheikah tribe, sworn to protect the royal family. They were the shadows of Hyrule, carrying out their duty in ways those who walked in the light could not. No, here it was nigh on impossible. His scowl deepened as he thought of last night. His servants had returned empty-handed, thwarted by the actions of a young boy, it seemed. Oh how furious he had been! These Gerudo assassins, like none other in the land, held at bay by a boy?! He had dismissed them from his service for their failure, sent back to the harsh desert that was their home.

In the end, it was no matter. It had merely been an opportunity that had presented itself. A plan had already been carefully devised before ever arriving here. The plan was simple enough, only its execution was the matter of utmost care. Sighing, he seated himself in front of the desk, various tomes and papers covering its surface. The one book open was Hyrule's history. He frowned slightly, glancing over the words across the pages. The history of Hyrule was here, including the recent civil war that had ended only a decade ago. It had lasted only a couple of years, give or take a few months, but it had in that short time caused great suffering.

He had been a part of it, as well. At the time, he had been a young adult, the prince of the Gerudo peoples. He had planned the campaign and had personally led several charges. The memories still haunted him, in his dreams and in the shadows. So many had died in the senseless violence. The Hylians had started it, their fear and contempt of the Gerudo had twisted into a unanimous belief that the Gerudo were a pagan tribal people who practiced dark magics for the ill of others. Somewhere along the way, someone had even preached that the Gerudo were fallen from the eyes of the goddesses, which ultimately led to a religious, zealous crusade to purge them.

Obviously, they had failed in that aspect. They had, however, won their war. The Gerudo, originally a nomadic Hylian people, had been driven into the desert wastelands to the west, where they were forced to rely on what little the earth could produce for food, and thievery for all else. Many had died in the war, where they had struggled to even hold their own, but many more had died from sickness and starvation, especially in the beginning.

His hand resting on the desk clenched into a fist, anger welling up in him. All those people, his people! They had perished in that desert graveyard, and it was the Hylians to blame! They were foolish and cruel, believing themselves to be virtuous and favored by the goddesses. He had watched his friends one by one fall, by the sword or by the scorpion, the halberd or the heat. He had vowed to exact his revenge on the Hylians, for every one of their deaths.

A little more than a decade later, here he was, the great Ganondorf Dragmire, no longer the powerless prince, but a king, even if a king of thieves, and with power. He had studied the arcane arts, immersed himself in the ancient texts and histories of Hyrule to learn all he could. And he was strong too, standing well over six feet, with broad shoulders and heavy with muscle. He had trained every day in the arts of melee combat as well as in magic, and the desert heat as well as his exertions had stripped him of unnecessary fat. Yes, he had power, both great and terrible. And he would use it to repay the Hylians tenfold what they had given the Gerudo, his people. He smiled at the thought. Yes, they would suffer.

Glancing back towards the window, his thoughts unbidden turned to another matter. Only days ago, he had felt a disturbance from the great forest to the east. His curse he had laid on the Great Deku Tree, that foolish plant, had been severed. Surely that old spirit had not the power to break it, especially after so long with it. Someone else had to have done it. And moments later, he felt an incredible power before the forest had been silenced. Even outside the forest, the world had sensed the loss. That day, at that time, a great many people had confessed a weight on their hearts that they could not explain.

The Deku Tree had died, but something had happened before that, and it worried him. He had visited the forest secretly about three months ago, having read of the Spiritual Stones and their significance; they also were keys into the Sacred Realm. That spirit had indeed possessed it, but refused to give it to him, even as he had been cursed. The spirit had proved too powerful even for his skills to even do any great harm, amazingly, but his curse had slowly done the trick. But, he hadn't gotten the stone. The source of power he had felt had surely been that stone, as there was virtually nothing else of value there. Had someone taken it, the same person that had severed his curse? He did not know. Not yet anyway.

He had found the other Spiritual Stones far more easily. The Goron and Zora races held them as treasures, and it was no great secret. He had sent envoys to both demanding the stones, being careful to avoid hinting at his own involvement for the sake of this gathering; should any demand an explanation, he would plead ignorance and vow to find and properly punish these rogue Gerudo.

They, just as the Great Deku Tree had done, refused to give up their treasure, and he had repaid in kind. The Gorons' food supply of bomb flowers largely came from Dodongo's Cavern, set in the side of Death Mountain. It seemed only appropriate to seal off that cave, and for good measure, keeping to the cavern's name, he had summoned Dodongos to infest the hollows. As such, well, the Goron representative he had seen earlier had looked a little thinner than usual for their kind. The aquatic Zora had also mentioned that their god, Lord Jabu-Jabu, had been experiencing an illness that greatly troubled them. That had also been his doing, having summoned various parasites to feed off the great fish. He had no intention of killing it, only pressuring the Zora to give in.

Would this mystery person try to get the other Spiritual Stones too? He pondered the circumstances, weighing the options in his mind. Either he could secure the stone from this mystery person, or perhaps he would let the individual retrieve them all for him before going after him. He smiled. He liked that idea. The poor soul would be doing what he wanted without even being the wiser. It would be one less part of the plan to worry about. If he had broken his curse, surely he would aid the other races as well, and having gained their trust, they would surely be willing to even impart to him their sacred treasures.

Either way, it had been good for him to give the races trouble. It could almost be seen as an act of fate. How could he have known that through his mischief a heroic being would surface?

His thoughts halted, taking in a sharp breath at the epiphanic word that had run through his mind. Heroic. A hero.

Rising suddenly, causing his chair for a moment to precariously teeter before landing on all four legs again, he rushed over to the trunk at the foot of his bed, snatching a book from the desk corner just before it was out of reach. Opening it, he ruffled hurriedly through the contents until he found the object of his search. An opaque glass ball, of a peculiar dark greenish-grey hue, set in a tetragonal black marble base, with strange flowing silver script engraved upon it. It was one of the few magical artifacts he possessed, and by far one of the most valuable. Cheap fortune tellers professed to telling the future with such items. In reality, most of such spheres were fakes, and so were their tellings. For those who did have such items, they understood as he did that such artifacts could never tell the future. However, they _could _show the individual what they wished to see at the present time. Even the future could be made foreseeable by knowing the present.

Moving away the history text and placing the seeing stone upon the desk surface, he opened the book in his hand to where the incantation could be found to activate it. He had to know who it was. Having read almost all there was to know of the histories, he had several times seen mentioned a hero that had risen in dark times to vanquish evil, always having been foretold of in some prophesy or legend. As it turned out, the latest prophesy was of a certain someone being called the Hero of Time. Such a name could only imply a connection to the Sacred Realm, as everything else around it in their respective titles held the word time: the Door of Time, the Ocarina of Time, the Hero of Time, the Temple of Time, time, time, time, and more time. Why time seemed to be the common factor was a mystery to him, on the contrary, it seemed it would be more appropriate to observe the lack of time. The Sacred Realm was the realm of the gods, eternal. There would not be time to shackle them.

Shrugging the pointless thoughts away, he found the incantation and spoke it, adding in his own words where required. He desired to see who it was that possessed the stone, to see his worth. Layering the incantation, he wished to also know the location and destination of the individual. From this he would be able to discern if this person was going after the other stones. As he spoke, the stone began to glimmer, faintly at first, but quickly building to a bright light that bathed the room in a green light. As he finished speaking, the runes on the base shimmered, then suddenly flashed brilliantly, overtaking the green light so much so that he was forced to shut his eyes for a moment. The light faded just as quickly, and as he opened his eyes, he now saw the orb before him displaying a moving scene, the murky green surface almost completely transparent.

The scene before him was not shown as an image on a surface, but rather a three-dimensional work that one could observe from all angles, as if the scene was happening inside the orb, not upon it. This was especially useful if one desired to be very particular and exact with details, as he was right now.

Even so, nothing could have prepared him for this surprise. He stood there wide-eyed, gazing down upon the green-clad child, with a fairy floating beside him. As young as he was, he bore a sword and shield bearing the Kokiri crest upon its field on his back. What was a Kokirian child doing in Hyrule Proper? To leave the Forest for their kind was death, yet here one was, alive and healthy as one could expect a child.

_He has the stone?! _He could hardly believe it. Had this child, a _child_, broken the death curse he, the great Ganondorf, had placed on the Great Deku Tree? Surely this was mistake! But, the seeing stone did not change, and the stone did not lie. This was he, impossibly so.

And now the surroundings came into view. He was on a cart, beside a pretty girl about the same age, with flaming red hair. He couldn't help release a chuckle; red hair was a defining trait of the Gerudo, not Hylians. He wondered who the child's mother was, as she must have been Gerudo. The almost exclusively female race prompted them to have affairs with the Hylians, to continue their way of life. He was an exception, as few others before him were; only once every one hundred years was a Gerudo male born, and they were to be made king by tradition. For the girl to be a resident of Hyrule, and according to the cart's contents, of Lon Lon Ranch, her mother must have died before returning back with her to the desert.

The scene shifted now though, now taking the second part of his request into consideration. The cart sped away, the grassy plains flashing by. A river was crossed, and Ganondorf understood before even the image came into view where he was going. With a word, the orb's activity died, fading back to its dull inactive form. The river crossing only could mean the kid was ultimately heading to either the Gorons or the Zoras, both holding a Spiritual Stone. He smiled. Child he may be, but if he broke his curse, he either had skill, luck, or a combination of both. Either way, he had guts too. Perhaps he could gather the other two successfully. It would be easy to take them from the child. Even if he knew their purpose, if he didn't have the Ocarina of Time, it was a useless endeavor.

The Ocarina of Time. Walking back to the window, he watched as the princess' nanny, Impa, appeared, and Zelda rushed over to her side. What a mysterious artifact, holding a great magical power within, and even more magical potential. With it, he could gain entrance to the Sacred Realm, and claim the mystical legendary Triforce as his own, shaping the world as he saw fit. With such power, surely he could exact his revenge, with no one to stop him.

From behind him, he heard a crinkling sound, and sighed. It was about that time, wasn't it? Turning towards the mirror, whose edges were forking with a magical purple lightning, he contemplated what he would choose to hide or tell his surrogate mothers, the old hags that they were. He decided to keep the boy to himself; he wanted to have fun with him, and his mothers would be liable to disapprove should they be made known of him. Touching the mirror, he waited for the connection to be made, eager to get it over with so he could enjoy dinner at a reasonable time. If he had to pick something he liked about the Hylians, he enjoyed the food immensely.


End file.
